Daimler crushes unauthorized Mercedes-Benz 300 SL body

From AB
Unlawful replica of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL destroyed
Daimler AG takes a firm line on vehicle replicas
Stuttgart – Mercedes-Benz Classic has destroyed the replica body of a

Mercedes-Benz 300 SL. The courts have ruled that it is not legal to
market the body, which was seized by German customs officials.
The body shape of the legendary gullwing model has been trademarked by
Daimler AG. Anyone building, offering or selling replicas of the
vehicle is in breach of the Company's rights. This even applies if the
replicas do not incorporate any logos or trademarks of the Company.
Daimler AG has long taken a tough approach to vehicle replicas.
As a work of applied art, the body of the 300 SL has been under
copyright protection for a number of decades. The employees who
designed the famous gullwing model in the 1950s granted Daimler AG
comprehensive exploitation rights. The body shape has also been
trademarked by Daimler AG, as recently confirmed by the Stuttgart
regional court (case no. 17 O 304/10, final and binding judgment dated
9 December 2010, following withdrawal of an appeal).
A case had arisen in which a company based in Germany had built an
unlawful replica of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 198 series). The first
step in destroying the replica was to separate the chassis from the
body. The Mercedes-Benz used-parts centre, which is also responsible
for scrapping all Mercedes-Benz prototypes from the development units,
then destroyed the body on behalf of Daimler AG. The certified
equipment used in the centre includes two presses, each applying over
30 tonnes of pressure. The replica sports car had a fibreglass body
weighing precisely 148 kilograms, which the compressor smashed into
small pieces. This dramatic end to the unlawful body was officially
documented with a signed and stamped 'confirmation of scrappage'.
The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 198 series) is one of the best known cars
in the world. It was launched on the market in 1954 as a coupé with
distinctive gullwing doors. In 1999, an international panel of judges
voted it 'sports car of the century'. Today, the original gullwing
model and its roadster variant, which was introduced in 1957, are two
of the most coveted vehicles on the international classic car scene.
All the major car collections worldwide feature the 300 SL – an icon
of design and engineering expertise.
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